1. Remain calm

Hiring managers purposefully throw you off guard during interviews in order to gauge how you respond under pressure and understand your thought process. Therefore, do your best to maintain your composure, regardless of how uneasy the question makes you feel or how shocked you are to hear it.

2. Wait a Moment

It's acceptable to pause and consider your response. Hiring managers will not anticipate you to have the ideal response right away because they are aware that they are asking you a tricky question. Give yourself a moment to consider your reply. Using a phrase such as "That's a fun question! You can buy some time by saying, "Let me think about it for a moment."

3. Calm Down About the Response

The interviewer may not be particularly interested in your response when they pose a curveball question. They want to know how you digest information, how you handle stress, and whether or not your response fits with the company's culture. Don't worry about providing the "correct" answer; instead, focus on figuring out what information the interviewer is attempting to learn from you by asking you these kinds of questions. You'll maintain your chances of getting the job if you respond thoughtfully and honestly about who you are as an employee.

4. Explain how you think.

Try to speak your thoughts out as you respond to the query. This will demonstrate to the hiring manager your method and demonstrate that you gave your answer some serious thought. Don't merely reply, "A palm tree," when they ask, "If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?" Instead, describe how you arrived at that conclusion. "Well, I think of myself as being quite resilient and adaptable and I'm continually learning, particularly in my profession. So, I suppose I am most like a palm tree.

5. Display Your Individuality

"What kind of cooking implement would you be, and why?"

"What was the last television program you watched?"

"What suggestions would you make to your boss?"

It's acceptable to show off your personality in an interview situation where the question is unexpected. Make an effort to smile and, if appropriate, crack a joke. In addition to how you respond to the topic, interviewers are interested in you as a person and how you react under pressure to a strange question. If a question completely stumps you, it will probably show, and they might assume that you can't adapt to changing circumstances or handle unforeseen problems at work. Be at ease and respond in a way that demonstrates why you are the best prospect.

6. Request a response later

Even though it's definitely not the best course of action, if you're having trouble answering the question, politely request time to think about it. You may say something like, "Can we come back to this one later? I want to think about it a little more." This can afford you some time to start formulating an answer in your head. Remember not to think about it too much to avoid becoming stuck. Provide a solution that highlights a positive aspect of your character or work ethic.

7. Practice

The greatest approach to confidently responding to tricky interview questions is to practice. You may easily discover a ton of practice questions by searching online. To get in the correct frame of mind, try responding to a few. If you're stuck, you can even locate sample responses. To gain feedback, practice alone or even with a friend. Even if it's impossible to predict whether you'll be confronted with any absurd inquiries, practice will help you be fully equipped to respond to any of them!